Body Myths: A Battle of the Sexes

Which sex is being deceived the most by urban myths? I have listed the top myths I hear and see people holding onto which are completely unfounded. I have also highlighted which sex I feel is being deceived the most by each set of myths. Which of these urban myths do you hold onto? Now is the time to let go of any self-limiting beliefs.

Female Body Myths

Male Body Myths

Biggest Lie

If you train with weights you will bulk up

You don’t need to warm-up before your training

Female

The only way to lose weight is to eat less and exercise more

Having a spotter is good for lifting (far too) heavy weights

Female

Eating fatty foods will make you fat

The louder you grunt when lifting weights the harder you are working

Female

If you are slim you don’t need to exercise

No weight is too heavy

Female

Training with weights is just for men

Stretching is just for women

Female

You will get fatter as you get older

You need to use a belt to provide support when lifting really heavy weights

Female

Sweating in the gym is a big no-no for women

Yoga and Pilates are too easy options

Female

You just need to do cardio to lose weight

Creatine supplements are necessary if you are taking your training seriously

Female

Training every day is essential for it to be effective

The ‘cut and paste’ approach to fitness works. This refers to cutting out a fitness program from Men’s Health magazine and following it religiously

Equal

The weight on the scales is the most important indicator of how good you look naked

You should train through pain or injuries

Equal

Practising Tai Chi and Qigong are useless for weight loss

Protein shakes (alone) will increase your muscle size

Equal

When you are pregnant you need to stop training

Winning is more important than the taking part

Male

Comparing yourself to other women gives you a sense of perspective

Just train one part of your body the part that shows off your physique best

Male

You need to obsess about your weight

You don’t need to look after your body you can get off with being ‘well-rounded’

Male

If you unclear why any of these points are myths, please feedback your views.